Insulated rail-joint.



PATENTEDMAR. 19, 1907.

lGr. L. HALL. 'INSULATED RAIL JOINT. APPLIOATIQN FILED 001222, 190e.

SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.III

.nl Fu nl Wfl-W42 aoco UNrrnn sfrnfrns GEORGE L. HALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR TO THE NATIONAL PATENT OFFICE.

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Application filed Gctober 22, 1906. Serial No. 339,959.

To all whom t #tay concern: 1

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city and county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulated Rail-Joints, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view, partly in horizontal section, to more clearly show the construction of the joint; Fig. 3, 'a transverse vertical sectional View on the line III III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a plan view of the bridge member of the splicebar; Fig. 5, a plan view of the receiving member of the splice-bar, and Fig. 6 a side elevation of the bridge vmember of the splicebar.

My invention relates to certain new andl useful improvements in insulated rail-joints by which the meeting ends of railroad-rails may be insulated from each other, so that an electric current in one rail will be prevented from passing to the adjoining connected rail.

The object of the invention is to so construct the joint that the treads of the rails will be strongly supported at their adjoining ends and the insulating material will be thoroughly protected and relieved of the pounding or' hammering of the car-wheels as they pass across the joint between the rails.

Referring to the various parts by numerals,

1 designates the ends of two railroad-rails to be connected together, but electrically insulated from each other. These rails are connected by splice-bars 2, which bridge the joint between the rails and are bolted to said rails, one on each side thereof. Each of these splice-bars consists of two members, one of which constitutes what I shall term a bridge member 3, which member bridges the joint between the two rails, and the other the receiving or holding member 4, which is about half the length of the bridge member and does not extend across the joint between the rails, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The receiving member is in the form of a U-bar and comprises a base part 5, the inner -head or tread thereof and is shaped in transverse section substantially like the ordinary angle-iron splice-bar, which gives a most efficient support to the-tread of the rail.

The bridge member of the splice-bar is formed for about one-half of its length of the ordinary angle-iron splice-bar sha e, as shown at 9 in Figs. 2 and 3, which wil give eflicient support to the head of the rail. The other half of the bridge member constitutes a vertical web or bar 10, which is rounded at its lower edge and is adapted to fit in the U-shaped channel 8 of the receiving member. As shown in the drawing, said web part of the bridging member is bent outward slightly at the point where ity bridges the joint between the rails; but of course it will be understood that said construction is incidental to the form of-receiving member shown in the drawing and is not an essential feature of construction. The receiving. member of course may be shaped in any desired manner and the web part of the bridge member may be shaped accordingly to adapt it to be received within the receiving member.

The web part 1() of the bridge member is smaller in cross sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the channel 8, so that there will be a space entirely around said web. This space is to be filled with insulating material 11 of any suitable character, so that the said web part of the bridge-piece will be surrounded with insulation except at its upper edge, and it is' of courseobvious that if found desirable its upper edge may be covered with insulation. This insulation extends throughout the length ofthe receiving member 4.

The web part of the bridge member and the receiving member are formed with coincident bolt-holes to receive the bolts 12, which secure the splicebars to the rails, and with similar coincident intermediate apertures to receive suitable fastening means by which the two members of each splice-bar are connected together. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the two members of the splice-bar are ICO j bars 6 and 7 of the receiving member and loosely in the apertures formed through the web of the bridge member. Surrounding those portions of the rivets which extend between the two bars ofthe receiving member are insulations 14, so that said rivets are insulated from the web portion of the bridge member. The supporting-bar 6 of the receiving member is so shaped on its inner face as to provide the recess 15 between said face and the web of the rail, within which space are the heads of the rivets. It will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited to securing two members of the splice-bars together by rivets, though I consider that a very desirable way of connecting them in or-` der that they may be handled as one piece. This feature of permanently connecting together the two members of the splice-bar is also advantageous in that it permits the insulation to be inserted and secured permanently in place during the manufacture of the bars, thus relieving the workmen connecting the rails of all responsibility as to the insertion of said insulation and the proper packing thereof between said members. By permanently and rigidly uniting the two'bars 6 and 7 of the receiving member by rivets the whole structure is brought together under pressure and the insulation is brought into close contact with the metal and air and moisture proof `joints secured. The rivets become permanent rigid parts of the structure and air and moistu-re are excluded from the channel in the receiving member. By this means the insulation surrounding the rivets is completely inclosed and sealed against air and moisture, thereby preventing corrosion of the fastening means and deterioration of the insulation around them. This is very im ortant in metallic structures and is especia ly desirable in insulated devices for use on railway-tracks or in connection therewith.

The apertures through the web 1() of the bridge member, which are designed to receivo the bolts 12 in making up the rail-joint, are also lined with insulating material, so that thebolts when inserted therein will be completely insulated from said web. This insulation may be inserted therein at the time the rails are connected but I consider it desirable that it shall be placed therein at the time when the two members of the splicebars are connected together in order that when the rails are joined it will simply be necessary to properly arrange the splice-bars on the rails and to insert the bolts 12 therethrough. This I consider a great advantage. It will of course be understood that ifI found desirable the insulation around the means for' fastening together the two members of the splice-bar may extend through the two bars of the receiving member and under the heads of the fastening means in order that said fastening devices may be completely insulated from both the members of the splice-bars. This arrangement of the insulation is shown at 1,4 at the right-hand end of Fig. 2.

To form a joint, end posts 1G, of insulation, are placed between the adjoining ends of the rails to-be connected. The splice-lnns are arranged to bridge the joint between the rails, and the securing-bolts 12 are passed therethrough to connect all the parts together. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the receiving member of one splice-bar is placed against the end of one rail and thereceiving member of the opposite splice-bar is placed against the other side of the other rail. It will of course be understood that the receiving members of the splice-hars majv be placed on opposite sides of the same rail. lt will also be understood that the shape of the receiving member and the channel S in transverse section may be varied as desired, and the transverse shape of the web part of the bridge member may be correspoiidingly shaped to lit within the channel of the receiving member, and I do not wish to be limited to any particular shape or conliguration of said members.

By forming the receiving member with a pocket within which the bridge member and the insulation is held the insulation thoroughly protected from the weather, except at its upper edges, and., further, and this is most important, the insulation is inclosed by the receiving member, and it cannot become detached or worn oll by the vibration. or movement of the parts of the splice-bars. Even should it be reduced to a powder it will be retained in place. In fact, powdered insulation may be employed, except at the ends of the receiving member. This is of special importance in rail-joint insulation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An insulated rail -joint comprising a pair of splice-bars, each of said splice-bars .being formed of a bridge member extending the full length of the splice-bar and forming for a portion of its length a rail-support, and a receiving member formed with a channel to receive a part of the bridge member, means for insulating the receiving member from the bridge member and fastening means connecting the opposed walls of the channel and extending through the inclosed portion ol' the bridge member, and means for insulating said connecting means from the bridge member,

2. An insulated rail -joint comprising a pair of splice-bars each of said splice-bars consisting of a bridge membe andy a receiving member, the receiving member being formed with a pocket having opposed side walls and adapted to receive a portion ofthe ICO connecting the bridge member and the two walls of the pocket of the receiving member, and means for insulating said connecting means.

4. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member, a receiving member provided with a pocket having opposed walls and adapted to receive a portion of the bridge member, material within said pocket to insulate the bridge member from the receiving member, means for rigidly and permanently connecting together the bridge member and the receiving member, and means for insulating the connecting means from the bridge member.

5. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member, a receiving member formed with a channel to receive a portion of the bridge member, means within the channel to insulate the bridge member from the receiving member, rivets passing through the interlocked parts of the bridge member and the two opposed walls of the channel of the receiving member, and means for insulating the rivets, whereby the two members of the splice-bar will be permanently and rigidly connected together and insulated from each other, and the insulated material will be protected and inclosed by the receiving member.

A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising two members and adapted on one side to iit between the base and head of the rails to be connected without electrically connecting said rails, insulating material between said members, said insulating material being surrounded vand protected by one of said members, means for rigidly connecting said two members together, said means extending through opposed parts of one of the members, and through the insulation surrounded by said member, and the member inclosed by said insulation and means for insulating said connecting means.

7. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising two members and adapted on one side to fit between the base and head of the rails to be connected without electrically connecting said rails, one ofsaid members being formed with a vertical channel open along its upper edge and adapted to receive a portion of the other member, material within said channel insulating said members from each other, means for connecting together the said members, and means for insulating said connecting means, said insulating material being within the said channel, whereby the insulating material will be inclosed and protected by one of said members. 4

8. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising two members, one of said members being formed of two vertical bars, one of which forms a rail-supporting bar, a vertical channel being formed between said bars and adapted to receive a portion of the other member of the splice-bar, material in said channel to insulate said bars from each other, means for rigidly connecting together the interlocked parts of the two members of the splice-bar, and means for insulating said connectingmeans.

9. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member and a receiving member, the bridge member for a portion of its length forming a rail-support-and the receiving member forming a rail-support throughout its length and adapted to receive a portion of the bridge member, insulating material around the portion of the bridge member within the receiving member, means for rigidly connecting together the receiving member and the bridge member, and means for insulating said connecting means, whereby the two members will be insulated from each other. V

l0. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member Jformed for a portion of its length as a rail-supporting bar and for the remainder of its length as a vertical web, a receiving member formed with a base and two upward-extending longitudinal bars, the inner bar forming a rail-supporting bar and the two bars forming a longitudinal channel to receive the web of the bridge member, insulating material within said channel around the web of the bridge member, rivets eXtendinor through said receiving member and the web insulating material surrounding said rivets, bolt-holes being formed through said receiving member and the inclosed web of the bridge member, and insulating material in saicl bolt-holes to insulate the bolts from the we 11. An insulated rail-joint comprising in combination with the meeting end of two rails, a pair of splice-bars each consisting of a bridge member, a receiving member formed with a vertical channel to receive a part of the bridge member, insulating material within said channel and around the inclosed part of the bridge member, rivets extending through the receiving member and the inclosed part of the bridge member, means for insulating said rivets from the bridge member, bolts extending through the splice-bars and the rails, means for insulating said bolts from the inclosed portions of the bridge members, and insulating material interposed between the ends of the rails.

IOS

of the bridge member,

IIO

ISO

12. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member formed for a portion of its length as a web, a reeeiving member formed with a base and an upwardextending rail-supporting bar and a Channel to receive the web of the bridge member, insulating material within said channel around the web therein, rivets extending through said receiving member and the web of the bridge member, insulating material surrounding said rivets, whereby the rivets will be insulated from the web and the web from i the receiving member.

13. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member formed for a portion of its length as a web7 a reeeiving member formed with a ehannel to reeeive the web of the bridge member, insulating mai member formed with a ehannel to receive the web of the bridge member, insulating material within said channel around the web therein, fastening means extending through the rails and the splice-bars, and means for insulating said fastening means from the webs within the receiving members.

15. A splice-bar for an insulated rail-joint comprising a bridge member, a receiving member formed withv a ehannel having opposite walls and adapted to receive a. portion oll the bridge member, insulating material within said channel around the bridge member therein and completely filling said ehannel, said insulation being in air-tight and moisture-proof eontaet with the receiving member and the bridge member and rigid .fastening means permanently united with the opposed walls of the receiving member and extending through the lnidge member, insie latingl material surrounding said fastening means and insulating said means .from the bridge member, said fastening means and said insulation being hermetieally sealed within the splice-bar.

1G. A spliee-bar for an insulated rail-joint Comprising two members, one of said members extending the full length of the railjoint and formed for a portion of its length as a rail-supporting bar, and the other member being half the length of the long member and forming a. rail-supporting bar for its entire length, one of said members being provided with a web and the other with a channel to reeeive said web, insulation. in said ehannel and surrounding said web whereby the two members are insulated from eaeh other, fastening means extending through the opposed walls of the channel and through the inelosed web, and insulation surrounding said fastening means and insulating said fastening means lfrom the web.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allx my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of Oetober, 1906.

GEORGIE li. llAlili.

Titnesses WM. lt. Davis, EMMA ll. KAUFMANN. 

